Winter can feel like an eternity, especially after being cooped up in your home for months on end. As we emerge into Spring, take some time to tidy up your home and breathe fresh air into your living spaces with this comprehensive room-by-room spring cleaning checklist. Get the whole family involved or tackle one room per week so you can check off all the items at your own pace.

Deep cleaning is an important part of keeping you and your home healthy and happy. Catch issues you may have missed with surface cleans and use the opportunity to take note of projects you want to tackle as you make your way around your home.

Kitchen

Surface cleans only go so far in the kitchen. Being that it’s the place where we prepare and eat food, it can also be home to some gross messes and hard to reach places. Even though there is typically a lot less to dust in the kitchen, there are many different types of surfaces and materials that will require specific care, and a deep clean is the perfect time to give each of them the attention they deserve.

  • Empty and clean out the fridge and freezer
  • Clean fridge/freezer seal/defrost the freezer
  • Clean stovetop/oven
  • Sanitize microwave
  • Clean dishwasher
  • Clean countertops
  • Dust high surfaces like above the fridge and around the tops of the cabinets
  • Clean hard to reach surfaces like behind and beneath the fridge
  • Sanitize sink and clean around inner rim of sink guard
  • Degrease cabinet doors and backsplash
  • Go through the pantry/cupboards and discard expired food
  • Wash all linens and sponges
  • Wipe down walls/baseboards
  • Mop floors
  • Shake mats outside to remove dust/dirt

Living Room

As the name suggests, we spend a lot of time living in our living rooms, and sometimes that living can get a bit messy. This is the space we lounge, entertain, work and sometimes even eat in, so it’s no surprise it can be a tricky and complex one to clean.

  • Dust/polish furniture
  • Remove cushions and vacuum inside crevices
  • Wash any slipcovers
  • Wash blankets and pillows/pillow covers
  • Dust blinds/clean curtains
  • Dust curtain rods
  • Clean off windowsills
  • Wash windows
  • Clean off ceiling fans
  • Dust and clean lamps and lamp shades
  • Dust off electronics
  • Dust and clean decor pieces
  • Sanitize all remote controls
  • Mop or vacuum floors
  • Shampoo rugs/carpets

Dining Room

The dining room can be different things to different people. Whether you have a formal space that’s used infrequently for company/special gatherings, or a more relaxed space to kick back and enjoy your daily meals, this room can sometimes get overlooked from a cleaning perspective.

  • Dust any formal china cabinets and all items inside
  • Polish silver utensils and serving ware
  • Clean and press any table linens
  • Vacuum or spot clean fabric chair cushions or covers
  • Dust and polish furniture
  • Wash windows
  • Wipe down walls/wipe baseboards
  • Clean light fixtures and lamps
  • Dust blinds/clean curtains
  • Dust curtain rods
  • Clean off windowsills
  • Mop or vacuum floors
  • Shampoo rugs/carpets

Bedrooms

Our bedrooms are often overlooked, despite the fact that it’s where we keep many of our personal belongings. Whether they’re folded in drawers, hanging in closets or tucked away in boxes, there are a lot of articles and storage spaces to tidy in our bedrooms that can benefit from a good deep clean.

  • Wash all bedding and pillows
  • Rotate your mattress
  • Disinfect kids’ toys (if applicable)
  • Dust/polish furniture
  • Wipe baseboards
  • Organize closets/drawers and donate any unwanted articles of clothing
  • Vacuum/deodorize carpets
  • Dust blinds
  • Dust curtain rods
  • Clean windowsills
  • Wash windows
  • Mop/vacuum floors
  • Clean mirrors
  • Clean under bed and behind big furniture pieces (if applicable)

Bathrooms

It’s no secret that the bathroom can get pretty grimy, especially in the spots we don’t often reach during a regular surface clean. Since this room is purely about function and less about comfort, there are less knick-knacks and textiles to clean and more surfaces that need to be disinfected and scrubbed to keep them looking and feeling fresh.

  • Wash or replace shower curtain and liner
  • Scrub the exterior/interior of the toilet and the floor tile around it
  • Go through medicine cabinet and discard anything expired
  • Scrub the shower and bathtub
  • Organize and clean out cabinet and vanity drawers
  • Clean any makeup brushes
  • Clean vanity
  • Clean showerhead
  • Clean out drains
  • Scrub tile grout
  • Clean all hardware
  • Sweep and mop floors
  • Wipe walls/baseboards

Laundry Room

Despite the fact that this room’s main function is to clean other things in our home, it also needs some extra attention during a deep clean. There are lots of hidden spots in this room that aren’t often visible on a regular basis, but are very important to keep clean, nonetheless.

  • Clean washing machine
  • Clean out dryer vent
  • Clean lint traps
  • Wipe walls/baseboards
  • Sweep/mop floors
  • Organize laundry supplies
  • Scrub laundry tub
  • Clean cabinets and hardware
  • Clean behind washer/dryer

Office

Home offices can get very cluttered and messy if you don’t keep up with them. Overloaded surfaces, stacks of paper and multi-functioning spaces can make it difficult to deep clean desks and shelves on a regular basis. Spend some extra time in your office during a spring clean to get this area tidy and create a more functional and relaxing space you’ll be excited to work in 365 days a year.

  • Clean your keyboard with canned air
  • Wipe down and dust electronics
  • Disinfect your mouse and phone
  • Recycle or shred unnecessary paperwork
  • Dust bookshelves
  • Dust and polish furniture
  • Wipe desk chair
  • Clean light fixtures
  • Clean out and organize desk drawers

Garage

For some people, a garage acts as an extra storage space and isn’t exactly a room they work hard to keep tidy. A garage is a space where you park your vehicles, hang your bikes and store your tools, and it’s often exposed to the elements with the constant opening and closing of the door. A Spring deep clean can help you reclaim this space and give it the attention it needs to feel fresh and welcoming.

  • Open garage door(s) to air out the space
  • Sweep/mop floors
  • Wipe down walls
  • Clean windows and doors
  • Clean garage door and frame
  • Replace batteries in garage door opener
  • Declutter and organize tools, sports equipment, toys, etc.

Outdoors

Your front and backyard are an extension of your living space, so treat them as such when you do a deep clean. There are plenty of things that need attention outdoors, and Spring is the perfect time to get that done after a long Winter season of harsh weather and temperatures.

  • Hose out your garbage and recycling containers
  • Shake off and wash exterior door mats
  • Pressure wash your deck and patio furniture
  • Remove all window screens and wash them with soap and water
  • Wash the outside of your windows before placing clean screens back on
  • Clean all doors
  • Clean mailbox and railings
  • Clean exterior lights
  • Clean and inspect exterior electronic devices like smart doorbells and locks

Basement

Sometimes our basements have multiple functions. They can include bathrooms, bedrooms, common areas, bars, kitchenettes and more. Your cleaning checklist for this space will differ depending on what your use your basement for and what the space includes.

  • Wipe walls/baseboards
  • Vacuum/clean floors
  • Clean windows
  • Clean off windowsills
  • Remove furniture cushions and vacuum inside crevices

General Home Maintenance

Checking on things throughout your home and doing general maintenance on the space overall is an important part of a deep clean. There are lots of things that need to be replaced, tested, fixed or cleaned that go beyond the confines of one specific room.

  • Clean light fixtures
  • Sanitize light switches
  • Replace lightbulbs as needed
  • Sanitize door handles
  • Test and replace smoke alarm batteries
  • Replace air filters as needed
  • Clean air vents/registers
  • Clean socket covers
  • Dust corners for cobwebs

Keeping up with your property is a big part of homeownership. There are a lot of things that will need your attention as your home gets older and you grow into the space. Taking the time to spring clean can help ensure you keep up with everything on a fairly regular schedule. Luckily, the process doesn’t have to be overwhelming! Take on the necessary tasks one room at a time and before you know it, your home will be looking clean and feeling fresh.